Saving Dawn
by theangelgabrielle
Summary: AU: When Edward suggests Jacob go talk to Bella about aborting her "monster spawn," Bella is agreeable for once in her life. Can the Cullens and the werewolves work together under the most bizarre of situations? Bells/Jake, other canon pairings.
1. Prelude

**author's note: **The story takes place around chapter ten of Book Two of Breaking Dawn. I'd recommend you re-read or at least skim chapters eight, nine, and ten of said book, but I won't force you. I'll try to explain everything to the best of my ability. Will be** Jacob/Bella/Edward**, don't like, don't read.

**background information: **This story is alternate universe from about halfway through BD. When Edward suggests Jacob talk to Bella about aborting her 'monster spawn' and having Jacob's child instead, Bella says yes. I promise this won't be pointless fluff or smut, rather, it will be a Team Switzeland supporter's reflection on the E/B/J relationship. Also, as Perfect!Renesmee is never born, the final battle goes a bit differently...

**disclaimed.**

**-s a v i n g-**

__

d a w n;

--

{prelude}

--

_"'Why would I want to have some stranger's baby? I suppose it just doesn't make a difference? Any baby will do?'_

_"'I didn't mean that. Not a stranger...'_

_"'Not a stranger? What exactly did Edward say to you?' _

_"'Nothing. He just thought you might listen to me.' _

_"'Not that. About trying again.' _

_"'Nothing.' _

_"'Wow.'"_

_--_

Taken from page 196 of _Breaking Dawn_, copyright Stephenie Meyer.

--

Jacob couldn't peel his eyes away when realization donned on her beautiful features. It killed him how pretty she was, even spotted with bruises and paler than she'd ever been. Wrapped in a blanket, he watched far too closely as her chocolate brown eyes widened into saucers.

"Oh, wow," she repeated after a beat. Bella raked her fingers, the nails long and purplish, through her messy tangles of dark hair. Beautiful Bella, even then. "I can't believe..."

"Neither could I," Jacob admitted, adding a one-shoulder shrug. "Not at first." His large hands, rough and calloused, rubbed along her legs, warming her up. He took a quiet pleasure when she shivered from the sudden warmth. "I got used to it, though. Isn't that what you always wanted? 'Your whole family'?"

She answered the unspoken question so silently, Jacob could hardly hear it. Even with his enhanced hearing, he breathlessly asked her to repeat, pleasegodbella, repeat?

"Okay," she affirmed, nodding her head. Her brown eyes bore holes, like a laser beam, into the expensive-looking carpet. She couldn't stand to meet his gaze. For she knew it would be too filled with longing - lust, even - for anyone's comfort.

"Okay?" Jacob questioned. He breathed deeply, disbelief coloring his tone, his actions. He had reason for not believing her, too. Though, as far as he knew, Bella had never explicitly lied to him, her truths were like daggers to his heart, ripping flesh and tearing organs. She killed him with her words. Her compliments. Her admissions of love. And yet, the love she felt for him was never enough. It wasn't more than how she felt for Edward Cullen. It wasn't even equal.

Bella didn't speak that time. Maybe she couldn't. Instead, she feebly nodded at him. The sway of her hair around her face, catching in the corners of her pretty mouth, dared him to look up, but he didn't. Maybe he couldn't.

"So." She folded her hands in her lap, trying not to eye the burgeoning bump that was breaking so many bones and causing so much pain. Not just for her, but for everyone. For a girl who would do anything for her friends or family, she could be awfully selfish sometimes. And yet, Jacob loved her in a way he never thought possible. "Where do we go from here?"

_Anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, _was what his mind was screaming out to say. But instead, he stayed quiet. The only key to seeing his pure joy was the grin he gave. It seemed to light up the eternal darkness that was her life.


	2. Decisions

**author's note; **i just pretend that the bizarre, oh-okay-you-imprinted-on-my-baby, bonding relationship between edward and jacob never happened. it's too weird. so they still have that hostile, circa-_eclipse _relationship.

_**also, sorry if this is confusing. that's probably the fault of edward's powers. because he reads minds, and this story is third-person, things get complicated sometimes. **thanks to _welcome to maddieland _for beta-ing!_

{chapter one: decisions}

Bella Swan blew out a breath. She slowly got up from the couch she'd been resting on, grabbing onto Jacob's large hand for support. The life inside of her felt like a dead weight now. She could hardly bare to touch it, but she still placed a pale hand on it. She could feel pounding, beating kicks. Her eyes flickered closed. She hadn't slept in ages. The downfall of living with the Cullens was that they sometimes forgot she needed to eat, sleep, do human stuff.

Heavy bags took shelter under her eyes, keeping the dark, purplish circles company. Bella scratched at her hairline; it had been a while since her last shower. Her dark hair had been pulled up into a crude bun, but Rosalie had quickly solved that appearance problem. She'd produced a ridiculously expensive boar-hair brush and ran it through Bella's locks until her hair was poker-straight and shone like the sun.

"C'mon," Jake said, pulling the heavily-pregnant young woman beside him. "Let's go make this mess bigger."

Bella tried to smile, but, when she touched her face with her free hand, she found the smile didn't reach her eyes. Not even close. Defeated, Bella's cracked lips pulled down into a frown. She flinched heavily when the rough pads of Jacob's scorching fingers grazed her cheek. She couldn't help it - she flushed a deep rose.

"That was what I was waiting for." His smile? That was why he was - and always would be - her sun.

Bella couldn't help but notice how Jacob didn't pull her behind him like Edward did - under the guise of "protecting her" with his vampiricly strong form. Jacob's hand was intertwined with hers; he couldn't unlock his dark eyes from her own as they walked side-by-side. He seemed to dote on her, show her off, even though they were alone.

Of course, 'alone' was a subjective term in the Cullen residence. Someone - Rosalie, most likely, Edward, quite possibly - was always listening.

The brunette squawked, just a pinch above her normal volume, "You can come in now."

Almost instantaneously, the front door shoved open. Edward was first, looking suitably relieved-cum-confused. Jacob's forehead creased. Had Cullen expected her to say no? Rosalie came charging in soon thereafter, using her vampire-speed. If she was even a shred human, she would've tumbled into the bronze-haired leech she called her brother or tipped over the priceless Ming-period vase. Instead, she came to a smooth halt in front of Bella.

The blonde placed her hand - hard as marble and cold as absolute zero - on Bella's throbbing forehead. She, too, wore some semblance of a grimace.

Rosalie hissed. "She's burning up." Lately, everyone spoke like Bella wasn't in the room.

"No, I'm not," Bella retorted quietly. She shivered under the blond beauty's touch. "I'm normal for a human."

She tore her hand away. "Right." In their minds, Bella practically _was _one of them. Even Jasper, the newest vampire, had grown used to her pulse, her heartbeat, her smell. She was a regular fixture, a constant in their eternal lives (or in Rosalie's case - eternal _misery_), and they all treated her like they would anyone of their kind. Albeit a little more delicately.

Jacob's teeth clenched behind his lips, pulled taut, when Edward - _that leech _- reached out for Bella - _his wife._ Bella would've _died_ (pun thoroughly intended) to have heard Jacob's thoughts at that moment because they were shocking enough that Edward had to turn away from her. Golden eyes wide, he snarled at Jacob.

The more tanned of the two men shrugged, his hand tightening around Bella's.

Edward looked abashed; he glanced away.

"So, Bella." Edward cleared his throat. "You're sure you want this?"

Her hands zoomed to play with a loose hank of dark brown hair that had twisted itself up into one of her usual, unruly waves. "Yes," she answered quietly, lower than a whisper. Everyone, of course, could still hear her perfectly.

Rosalie's eyes - darker than Edward's, but not quite pitch-black yet - flashed with rage. Quicker than lightening, Edward moved to block her from his young, shivering, shaking wife. Rosalie tried to jump at her once-rival, but Edward's strength matched her own too well.

The blonde didn't have to speak. Jacob and Bella - the only others left in the room - were painfully aware that Edward was reading Rosalie's mind. Her violent thoughts. Jacob had never wanted to punch someone more, least of all a _girl. _How could she dare even _ponder _about hurting Bella, when Bella herself wouldn't dare hurt even a fly? Of course, there was the little matter of the roguish thing inside of her now - which would have a less than happy 'ever after.

It was obvious that Rosalie's attachment to the monster spawn inside of Bella had gone to extremes.

"Rosalie," Edward soothed in the melodic voice that all the Cullens shared, "try to calm yourself."

Her eyes narrowed even futher, as if that were possible. Her thoughts didn't stay in her head this time: "That - that _wench _is going to murder the life inside of her and you're telling _me _to calm down?"

Jacob didn't need to have one of the Cullen's magical vampire powers to notice how tense Bella was. She was all but _tied _to his side - not that Jacob minded. Not in the slightest.

"Maybe I'm..." Bella sighed. "Making a brash decision. I'll sleep on it, 'kay? And get to back to you-" she locked eyes with Edward, "both of you, tomorrow morning."

"Bells," Jacob whispered. His hot breath on her ear lobe made another shiver spiral down her spine. "If you put this off any longer...you'll never want to let it go."

He realized that her chocolate-coloured eyes - her beautiful, heartbreaking, soulful eyes - were brimmed with salty tears. "You're right," she sniffed, concealing the overflow in her eyes, so as not to attract Edward or Rosalie's attention. Jacob slid his other, unoccupied hand into Bella's. She looked up to meet his gaze. Without saying anything, they'd managed to communicate more than Edward and Bella ever had.

Suddenly self-conscious, she broke the eye contact.

The odd couple both turned to look when they heard a hiss that could only be made by Rosalie and then subsequent slamming of the door.

Edward explained, "She needs some time to reflect. Rosalie will return shortly. Until then, I would advise you stay here." He nudged his chin in the direction of the next floor up. "You are more than welcome to stay in my room."

The left unsaid: Jacob was not welcome.

"Yeah," said the younger boy, rubbing the back of his neck. "I oughta go...uh, patrol or something. With the pack. You know."

The bronze-haired man nodded. "Yes." He wrapped an idle arm around his (_shudder_) wife's frail, toppled-over shoulders. "We know. I wish you luck."

Bella half-smiled. The under-the-lashes look she shot Jacob was lost on no one. She'd never been so blatantly..._seductive, _was that the word? Not with immature, carefree, lazy Jacob.

Not until she agreed to bear his children.

Jacob left without giving one of his customary bone-cracking, spine-tingling, head-spinning bear hugs, because the predatory look Edward's eyes held was crying out to him. '_One more night_' it said. '_One last night before you take everything away._' Jacob could honour that look. He'd seen it more than once on himself.

"Edward," she gasped, as soon as the only other man she'd ever loved was gone. "You need to tell me! And you can't lie - promise me you won't lie?"

"I promise," he said, stroking her fingers. The two of them had hauled over to the sitting room. Bella was spread-eagled on the couch, a hand-knit blanket carefully wrapped around her slim frame. He noticed how her fingers started tracing patterns across her burgeoning belly.

What he wouldn't give to have heard her thoughts. Even for a brief moment.

"Love," he cooed. She made a move to get closer, but he paused her with the spread of his hands. "Stay there, don't strain yourself." She rolled her eyes. Chuckling softly, he added, "I'm sorry about my sister's behaviour earlier. You know how she gets."

Bella bowed her head. He tried to imagine her thoughts: _Oh, _she would think sarcastically. _Believe me, I know. _

"No problem. It's not your fault." She clamped her long, pale arms around her concealed legs and ample stomach. "You shouldn't have to apologize for her, anyhow."


	3. Story Time

**a/n: _i tried really, really, really hard to be in-character. stop lurking and review? thanks to _maddie _for beta-ing this. _**

{chapter two: story time}

The next morning brought out a slew of problems. There was the metaphorical: a knot twisting its way through Bella's stomach and weaseling into her vital organs. And the physical: a vertebrae with a hairline fracture. The latter was discovered when Carlisle was doing his standard, twice-daily, examination. Along with the fracture in her spine, there were several minor injuries: two more cracked ribs and a hipbone that was in serious danger of snapping outright. She barely noticed the broken ribs anymore; just grouped it in with standard, everyday pain.

It was close to ten when Bella awoke. For the first time in ages, she had to take care of herself. Rosalie was still nowhere to be seen (_as evidenced by the invisible worry lines on Esme's striking face_) and Emmett had dashed off after her sometime in the late-late night or early-early morning. The Cullen household was smaller than ever and the strain of being without two of its members was evident with everyone. When one person - or, in this case, _two _- was away, it was as if a large hunk was missing from their hearts. Bella felt it too and she was not particularly close with Rosalie, nor was she half as close with the goofy vampire, Emmett, as she wished.

After her medical exam, Bella brushed her teeth mechanically, spitting out the minty toothpaste when her counting reached one-twenty. She finally took a shower, agonizingly long and skin-tinglingly hot, and washed her hair with some apple-scented shampoo that was probably ridiculously expensive. She even conditioned, with something from a blue bottle that was probably Rosalie's or Alice's.

She twisted the tap slowly. If possible, she'd would've let her shower go on and on forever. She promised Edward and Jacob, her two men, the loves of her life, the only guys for her, that she would think about. The truth? From the minute she'd placed her head on Edward's rock-hard chest and drifted into sleep, her mind had been closed down. She slept dreamlessly. It was wonderful, peaceful. She planned on doing some serious thinking in the shower, but her eyelids flickered shut and she started to hum a couple keys of an old musical. The inevitable abortion of her unborn child, who she was planning on naming Edward-Jacob, was shoved into the furthest crevice of her mind.

Toes first, Bella stepped out of the shower. The gilded windows were covered in condensation. Even the Cullens' _bathroom _was beautiful. She was, of course, using Alice's bathroom. Emmett, Edward, and Jasper shared one. As did Carlisle and Esme. Alice and Rosalie had demanded separate bathrooms and who were the infinitely wealthy Cullens to refuse?

From the heated towel rack, she produced a white terry cloth. The warm fabric tickled her skin as she towel-dried every inch of her skin. Another wave of regret and longing swept over her when she reached the prominent bump between her hips. She shook her head and prayed the thought would fall out from her ears, nose, or mouth. It didn't. She couldn't stop thinking how, in hours, probably, the life inside her would be gone.

And, yet, she knew the argument Jake and Edward would give in rebuttal: _It's killing you._ _And if you die,_ we _die._ She always knew there was no way Edward was going to change her - he'd _bite _that stupid baby out of her rather than imprison her in the penitentiary of vamprisim he was sentenced to - for eternity.

There was no way Bella could live without them. No way. Even _with _her beautiful baby boy.

Her favourite Forks High sweatpants for the Phys. Ed. class she hated slipped on with some difficulty. They went easily over shins, knees, thighs. The tugging commenced when she reached her baby bump - she pulled and pulled and pulled, but they still exposed enough of her underwear to be considered undecent. She considered changing. Alice had filled half of Edward's walk-in closet with beautiful, European-designed maternity wear: hippie dresses and crisp blouses and tweed blazers and pencil skirts. They were gorgeous - and uncomfortable as hell.

Rather than change into one of Alice's pre-selected outfits, she pulled a simple ribbed tank top over the her embarrassingly small bra. On top of that, she pulled on a navy zip-up - which she zipped all the way up her pale-as-snow neck.

A glance in the mirror told her (_with a sneer_) that she was no where near as gorgeous as Alice and not half as fashionable as Alice.

She turned away and tried to be stealthy exiting the bathroom. Of course, she tripped on one of her enemies: a flat surface. _Oof. _Bella fell square on her arse. Pushing herself up with her palms, she then pressed them against her enlarged stomach. Waited a beat. _Nothing._ Not the familiar pounding, kicking, or even the faint screaming she swore she heard on occasion was coming from inside her.

"Carlisle!" she hollered hoarsely, hoping among hopes that there was a God and that God could kindly tap the handsome doctor on the shoulder. "Edward! Someone!"

She barely heard their feet against the floorboards before hands were brushing her shoulders, inquiries like "_Are you okay?_" are coming out of perfect mouths, and the compassion and kindness of vampires nearly overwhelmed her.

"Bella," _his _melodic voice intoned. She could then identify that the icy hand which rested on her collarbone was Edward's. His parents - for all intents and purposes - stood back. "You must tell me what's wrong before Carlisle - any of us - can help you. Can you do that, please?"

Dizzily (_thanks to his voice, his touch, his scent, his face, his love_) she nodded. "My baby boy." Pressing her hand against the life inside of her, her chest started to heave and fall quickly with the promise of tears. "I can't feel him anymore."

She was swept up into someone's arms and carried to Carlisle's exam room. This time, she barely felt the hands prodding and poking. Coal-black eyes on Snow White's soft skin. A combination of the soft pressure being applied to her abdomen and the soft pillow behind her back attempting to heal her broken vertebrae lulled her to sleep. This time, she pulled away from Edward's grip that would bring any NFL footballer to hot, salty tears. This time, this time, this time. Bitterly, in the sage moments between sleep, Bella mused how much she hated that phrase. 'This time.' Full of regret and repenting and stupid concepts they teach in Catholic churches.

For her, life was all about the past (_last time_) and the future _(next time_). Renee was always the one who spoke of 'living in the now.' Bella was the practical fortysomething trapped in the slim body of a teenager. She was the one who was planning ahead and thinking of how the future could improve from the past. They balanced each other out well and Bella felt a sharp pang of longing strike through her chest.

"Your examination is complete, Miss Swan," Carlisle pronounced with a definite _snap _of yucky rubber gloves. Bella cringed - one of her most-hated sounds in the world. Carlisle wore a smirk, but the joke was lost on her.

"What's wrong with him?" Brown eyes widened. "My baby," she cooed softly. Edward slipped his hand back into her own (_where it belonged...) _

Carlisle smiled toothlessly. "Oh, nothing. It's just standard for a woman so..._far along_ in her pregnancy."

"There's..." A smile is shared from husband to wife, father to mother, and Esme smoothed down her flat-ironed chestnut-coloured bob with a flat palm. Encouraged, she continued: "Something we were meaning to ask you, Bella, love."

"It's about him, isn't it?" She gestured to her ever-expanding belly. "And killing him."

Esme's golden eyes closed pointedly. The Cullens only blinked in their own home to make some kind of a statement. "Yes. But, please, do try to think of it as saving a life - _many _- and not as ending one."

"I know that," the young girl admitted. Curled up on the exam table, a blanket wrapped tightly around her shaking shoulders, she looked far less than her almost nineteen years. "I do, but...it's so hard."

Esme's lips curled up into the saddest smile Bella'd ever seen. She looked so human in that moment. The slim vampire slid closer to Bella until she, too, was sitting on the table, her bottom flat on the butcher's paper used. She wrapped an arm - cold and hard - around the brunette.

"Let me tell you a story."

And she did.

"It starts off with a girl who only longed to fulfill her parents' wishes. She never stepped out of line, spoke out of turn; she would have none of that. She did what she was told and, for that, she was considered to be a good girl. While the good girl grew up, her dreams never changed. She wanted to be married to a kind soul," there was a furtive glance in Carlisle's direction at this time, "and become a mother. When the girl was old enough to leave home, she found the man of her dreams. It seemed that everything was falling into place.

"But really, it was falling apart. She quickly became pregnant: a honeymoon baby. She imagined him - her son, she never pictured a daughter - with the soul-searching eyes of her husband and his soft curls and his easy smile and his everything. She could - _she would _- be a great mother. Everyone thought so. Even if her husband was less than a great father - he hurt the girl in many more ways than the obvious. Until the day that her son went away.

"It had been a violent pregnancy at first. Her early days were filled with morning sickness and much pain. As her due date grew closer, the pain only grew exponentially. When her son was born, he was her double in everything. She watched her son grow up and tried to shield him from his father's outbursts. She tried her best to be the mother she was destined to be. But his fate - her son's and her own - was already sealed. He died some years later. Trying again seemed stupid. Never would she love anyone as much as did her son."

If vampires could cry, Esme would've drowned in her tears at that moment. Carlisle placed a loving hand on her shoulder and Edward pursed his lips, apologetically, from where he stood by his own wife.

"Death had been her son's escape. Maybe it would work for her, too? So the foolish, silly woman jumped. Off a cliff. And that was when her life started anew."

Esme smiled contently, but even Bella - who was no people-reader - could tell it was a farce. "The End."

"I'll do it."

"It will be better in the long-run, Bella." Carlisle pulled on a new set of latex gloves.

The pregnant young woman gritted her teeth and gripped Esme's forearm for support. Edward's hand was still locked in her own. "Please, let me do this alone," she begged. It was bad enough she had to witness her son be murdered - she didn't want Edward to see it, too.

"No, Bella." His hold on her didn't waver. "Let me stay and we'll get through this together. You and I, forever and a day."

Her chocolate brown eyes welled up and Carlisle did the speaking for her: "_Edward." _

Esme, the only one who truly understood, looked at her foster son. "It's something she must do on her own."

So he left.


	4. Rosalie's Rage

**a/n: i adore rosalie, i truly do, but this was the only way my story would work. sorry in advance for the evil!rosalie stuff ahead.**

{chapter three: rosalie's rage}

"Okay, Bella." Carlisle's voice instantly calmed her down. Vampires' words seemed to have the same effect on her as Jasper's power over emotions. Bella set her head back down, though she couldn't control her shaking. What was going to happen to her? To her baby, tentatively named Edward-Jacob?

"Okay," she repeatedly dumbly. Was the good doctor going to perform some kind of...vampire-style abortion on her? So many questions and by the firm grimaces on Esme and Carlisle's maturely beautiful faces, no one was willing to offer up answers on silver platters.

The door to Carlisle's makeshift doctor's office popped open with a bang. Bella's head snapped around to face it and the sudden movement made the broken vertebrae in her spine pound. _Ouch._

Rosalie Hale, white teeth bared, looked ready to rip off someone's head. Instinctively, Bella quivered. For such a pretty - nay, goddessesque was a better fit - being, Rosalie could intimidate with the best of them. Emmett followed closely behind her. He was quicker than her, and he grabbed her by the wrists, stopping her in her tracks.

Esme and Carlisle exchanged worried, parental gazes. Bella had once imagined her and Edward sharing such looks - he'd be a great father and didn't fit the abusive husband part in the parallel Esme drew between her human life and Bella's current situation.

"Let go of me!" the blonde seethed. Her nostrils flared and she pulled back, preparing to launch herself at the shivering human and out of her husband's arms.

"No, Rose." Trying to be kind, but still do the right thing, Emmett nuzzled her elongated neck. Rosalie rolled her eyes at first, but her lips puckered into an expression of peace when he didn't pull away.

"I think we need to talk about this," Carlisle said. "All of us, as a family."

Nods went around the group of four. Satisfied, Carlisle rolled up the sleeves of his uniform, hospital-issued doctor's coat. The sharp white colour barely held a torch to his perfect, pale skin.

Bella's hand slipped from Esme's arm down to her hand. The elder woman gave Bella a comforting smile. Reassured, Bella pushed herself off the doctor's table and landed neatly on her sneaker-clad feet.

The two women walked hand-in-hand through the twisting, complicated corridors and hallways of the upper level of the Cullen abode.

For once, Carlisle was apart from the woman he loved so dearly. For Bella's sake, Emmett and Carlisle both had their strong arms locked around Rosalie's. The odd trio of cold-skinned vampires were walking a few paces ahead of Esme and Bella. As long as the blonde bombshell didn't have an unexpected burst of adrenaline, they were good for the time being.

"Thanks for everything, Esme." Bella gulped, hoping Rosalie didn't understand the context of what she was about to say. "Your story meant a lot to me."

"I'm glad," Esme responded quietly. They walked the rest of the way in polite, comfortable silence.

When they reached the living room, the rest of the clan was already congregated. Jasper and Alice sat beside each other, on a white suede loveseat. Alice's head was nestled in the crook of Jasper's neck and their arms were intertwined. The looked so happy, so beautiful, _so perfect._

Once upon a time, that'd been her and Edward. Then she'd gone and gotten herself pregnant with a human-vampire hybrid baby and everything shifted for the worse.  
Morosely, Bella rubbed a wide circle on her stomach.

Edward, her husband and the father of her child, was there, too. He was sitting alone and made room for Bella to come sit beside him the moment before he saw her. Bella figured he'd "seen" her in someone's thoughts. A cashmere throw blanket was bunched up beside him.

Hesitantly, Bella locked eyes with Esme. She never wanted to part from the kind woman's side. Now she knew why Carlisle was so fond of her and why most humans were so instantly in awe of her. Even _Renee_ had been wrapped up in Esme's spell!

"I think I'll sit with you two lovebirds, son." Esme's smile was radiant. Edward moved over further, making more room_. Ever the gentleman..._

Hand-in-hand, Bella and Esme sat down on the long couch beside Edward.

Fondly, Esme stroked Edward's cheek and mumbled something about "growing up" that Bella couldn't quite make out. Someone - she wasn't sure who - threw the blanket around her shoulders.

Emmett and Rosalie were seated beside each other. The former's muscular arm wrapped around the latter, who wore a scowl that would've been unflattering on anyone else. She managed to make it look like the newest fashion pose.

Carlisle sat beside them, on the end of the couch. The tension in the room of white was taut.

"So," Carlisle began, ever the peacekeeper. "Some things need to be said and I can't think of a better person - or vampire - to say them than Bella."

Caught off-guard, Bella nearly choked on the air. She exhaled sharply. _Oh my._

"Uh, well, you see." A nervous glance in Rosalie's direction told Bella she wasn't doing very well. "Being human is not all it's cracked up to be," Bella admitted. "There's so much pressure from everyone, to live my life they way they wanted their's to go." She didn't dare risk looking at Rosalie after_ that_ statement. "I never asked for this child, but I've got him. And... I could never end his life."

Brown eyes sparkling, Bella met Carlisle, Esme, and Edward's concerned gazes.

Rosalie's satisfied smirk brightened up the whole room. Jasper hadn't even had to use his power.

Shaking her head, Bella got up from the butter-soft couch she once laid upon. Still clutching the blanket across her shoulders - though it did little to provide warmth - she made a move to go back up the stairs.

"Here." Edward followed suit. "Let me help you."

"I've got her," Rosalie growled, at Bella's side quicker than lightening.

"Hey, hey." Emmett raised his palms, like, _waving the white flag, people_. It seemed the tension was still hovering.

Jasper's wave of calm did little to help.

"Let's all take a step back," the vampire built like a football player suggested. Rosalie's eye-daggers turned momentarily to Emmett, but then returned to Edward's golden eyes with more fury than before.

"Try me," Rosalie seethed. "Just try."

By now, everyone was worried. Rosalie's harsh actions and reactions to every situation were something they were used to by now, but not something anyone particularly enjoyed.  
Edward made a move to wrap his arm around Bella's shoulder, protectively.

And that was when Rosalie snapped.

Like a newborn vampire, Rosalie launched herself at her foster brother on the haunches of her lengthy legs. For a girl who deserved to be on the pages of every major fashion magazine from New York to Tokyo, she sure was dangerous.

Rosalie's instincts were driving her ahead - but she was off. In her mad rush to get Edward, she powered through the fragile, pregnant, _oh-so-human_ being in front of her.

Bella crumpled to the ground like a balled-up paper plane.


	5. The Tortoise Won

{chapter four: the tortoise won}

Alice could sense the inevitable reaction and Jasper was quickly pulled outside into the backyard with Emmett's strong hold leading him away. Edward gritted his teeth, eyes closing as Bella's scent swept over him. Carlisle had the most restraint, he didn't flinch at all; Esme covered her nose and mouth with a monogrammed hankie.

Rosalie's screams drowned out Bella's half-hearted attempt at a shriek of pain. It wasn't even the bloodlust that drove her rage (although a faint tug at the back of her throat said it was still there; always there), rather it was utter regret for her actions.

Hands pulled Bella upwards. She spat up some blood, staining the virginal white carpet. Blood was everywhere. She _breathed _in her own blood and couldn't say it smelt good, let alone as "divine" as the Cullens kept enthusing it was.

The blond vampire was shaking. She held her hands in front of her face, palms up. They, too, were stained with human blood. It seemed to take all of her power not to lick every last drop off.

Every forced blink her darkening eyes said, '_What have I done?' _The decision had been made for Bella, like everyone before this. However, this time, instead of Charlie or Renee, Edward or Jacob, making the choice for her - Rosalie had.

"Bella," Edward choked out, scrambling to help his love, his wife, his one and only.

Bella, now, bared her straight, white teeth in pain. She wasn't forming complete words (_and, God knows, definitely not full sentences_) and the only sounds she made were incomprehensible moans of pure agony. She kept rolling around on the couch, clutching her abdomen. It seemed that Baby Cullen was growing and expanding every second of every day.

"Stay still," Carlisle softly instructed. Edward's cold hand was stationed on her washed-out cheek, trying to steer her to sit still. At that moment, _she _felt like biting _him_. He couldn't feel pain! Not like she could! How dare he force her to keep still?

Bella softened when she remembered the events that had lead them here: the pillow-ripping sex, the extravagant wedding reception, the proposal. Edward was hers now. And she was his. Forever and for always. Till death do us part, right? Of course, Bella had stifled a giggle at that line. It was already written in the stars that death wouldn't be coming for Edward in the near future and Bella herself assumed she would be following on that path shortly after her wedding day.

Now, that seemed very unlikely. For one, her husband had already said, many a time, that under no circumstances would he be changing her just yet. He wanted her life on the natural path. That seemed fine for Bella at the time. And, now, well, who knew what was going to happen?

"She's losing blood and quickly, too."

"Someone get Rose out of here."

"Stay with me, Bella."

"I - I can't watch this."

Then it all faded to black. Close the curtains. Go home for the day.

**The End. **

--

Dawn came. Slowly and surely, more comparable to the tortoise than the hare, but we all know who won that race anyways. It came in the form of curtains being opened. Cracks of dawn streaked in through the wide windows Esme favoured.

Bella squinted in the sudden appearance of her old friend, Light. She wrinkled her nose at it. She decided, right then and there whilst lying on a quickly made-up bed, that she _hated _the sunlight. Absolutely loathed it.

It was Alice who opened the curtains. _The true bringer of all evil, _Bella thought bitterly. She rolled onto her side and was surprised that she could. There was no bump - no Edward-Jacob Cullen - blocking her way.

A line creased her forehead. She ran her fingers, slim and eager, across her stomach. Flat. And yet - _ouch. _She peeled back her top to expose pale, scarred landscape.

"I'm so sorry, Bella."

Bye-bye, Baby.

She cried and cried and cried. For days, weeks, months. Time blurred. Someone was kind enough to close the curtains. Occasionally, hard and cold figures found their way to her side. Sometimes hands wrapped around her shaking shoulders or fingers twisted through her hair.

The waterfall doesn't stop until it wasn't cold anymore. Rather, an overwhelming warmth wrapped around her. She knew it was her sun. Could feel him in her bones.

Sighing, Bella pried her eyelids open with some difficulty. Her brown eyes bore into coal black. "Hi, Jake."

"Hi, Bells," he replied. His tone was so casual, so conversational to fit the events that passed recently. The loss of EJ weighed upon everyone's shoulders - whether human, vampire, or werewolf.

"The baby's gone."

Jacob cradled her in his strong arms, like _she _was a baby. He was so warm, burning up, and she found herself leaning into his embrace. "I know."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Is Rosalie okay? I can only imagine... She wanted this baby so much, more than me, even..."

He pressed a hot finger to her mouth. Bella's lips were cracked and dry; her voice was hoarse and scratchy. She could only imagine how her breath smelt at that moment. Definitely not good. Not like freesias or lavender.

"She's gone." After a pause, he added, "Her mate - the big one - too."

That made Bella struggle to sit upright. She immediately placed her palm on her cool forehead - it was pounding, throbbing. Her head hurt so much. In fact, her _everything _hurt.

"Emmett? Oh, no." She squinted, even though everything was still dark. "I've torn apart their family."

Jacob sat up as well. "Why don't you lay back, get some more sleep? No one will think less of you for needing some more time."

She shook her head defiantly. Jacob helped her out of bed, lifting her up. She thanked him with a small smile. "I can't."

"Okay," he answered her unspoken question softly.

She tried to smile again but knew somehow that it didn't reach her eyes. Jake never pushed her. She thought Edward did that sometimes - made choices for her, fought her battles. He'd left her, without giving her opinion a second thought. And yet - _God help her _- she still loved him more than an eighteen-year-old should.

Bella felt like a monster emerging from its crypt. Jacob told her it'd been six days. An '_Only_' should've been added. Her guess was two, three weeks minimum.

Her hair was ratty. She tied it up into a lopsided ponytail. Bella decided the Cullens could wait for her; they had an eternity, after all. She wanted them to take her seriously and she doubted they would if she was wearing rumpled pyjamas with some of the price tags still present. (_Gee, thanks, Alice._)

She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and even took the time to brush out her hair.

Then, she opened the door to the bathroom and faced Jacob. Bella's shoulders were squared and her jaw was set. Something in her brown eyes said '_I'm ready, world._' He smiled at the sight of her and offered his arm. Smiling, too, she accepted it.

They made their way down the grand staicase, hand-in-hand.


End file.
